Method of separating shoes from lasts



LXmmBT July 2l, 1936. J. BA HADAWAY METHOD OF SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS Filed Aug. 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 12. Boor AND SHOE MMM /LHL July 21, 1936. 1. B. HADAwAY METHOD OF SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS Filed Aug. 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nr mm l2. UU ANU HUL mnmuv HLL Patented July 21, 1936 2,047,960

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF SEPARATING SHOES FROM LASTS John B. Hadaway, Swampscott, Mass., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 29, 1934, Serial No. 741,951

4 Claims. (Cl. 12-142) This invention relates to the art of separating forward portion and a rear portion which are shoes from lasts and is herein disclosed with refconnected by a hinge I2. The rear portion of erence to an improved method involving the the last L has formed in it the usual thimble application of pressure against the interior of hole which is lined with a metallic ferrule I4 for 5 a shoe on a last to separate or to facilitate sepreceiving the last pin I0. The last pin I0 is car- 5 aration of the shoe from the last. The applicaried by the upper end of a standard I 6 which tion for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. rises from a base I8 resting upon the floor. 'Ihe 706,087, led January 10, 1934, in the name of standard I6 may receive additional support from Elmer Grush, discloses a method of utilizing a work table I8.

10 pressure within a shoe to separate the shoe from The last pin Il) is tubular and communicates 10 the last. The present invention is similar to that (as shown in Fig. 1) with a conduit 20 Within disclosed in the above-mentioned application of the standard I6, the lower end of the conduit 20 Grush in so far as both contemplate the use of being connected to the outlet side of a valve 22 pneumatic pressure. (Figs. 1 and 4). The inlet side of the valve 22 It is an object of the present invention to procommunicates with a conduit 24 which is adapted 15 vide an improved method of separting a shoe to be connected to a supply of air under presfrorn a last. sure. Within the valve 22 is a rotary valve plug In accordance with a feature of the invention, 26 having formed in it a port 28 (Fig. 4) which, pressure is applied in diverging directions against upon rotation of the plug 26, opens and closes a plurality of localities simultaneously on the incommunication between the conduits 24'4 and 20. 20 terior of the rear portion of a shoe upper to ex- Extending from the valve plug 26 is a crank 30 i pand the rear portion of the shoe and thereby to which is connected by a link 32 to a treadle 34 facilitate its removal from the last. The shoe fulcrumed at 36 upon the base I8. The treadle 34 expanding force is obtained by the use of air unis normally held upwardly by a spring 38 in which der pressure which is introduced into the rear position the plug 26 closes communication be- 25 portion 0f a 5h06, preferably through a tubular tween the conduits 24 and 20. Upon depression last pin, and thence through diverging passages of the treadle 34 the valve plug 26 is rotated to in the last which direct the compressed air against a position wherein the port 28 connects the conthe shoe upper. 'I'he expanded rear portion of duits 24 and 20. This open position of the valve the shoe may then easily be removed from the 22 is determined by a stop 40 which limits de- 3o last by hand or by a machine which applies fricpression of the treadle 34. tional force against the exterior of the shoe. In The last L has formed in its rear portion a either case, the force operating upon the exterior plurality of 'diverging ducts or passages 42 each of the shoe may be assisted by air pressure diof which communicates at one end, through a rected through one or more passages in the last suitable opening in the ferrule I4, with the in- 35 against the interior of the shoe bottom. terior of the thimble hole of the last. The oppo- Referring now to the accompanying drawsite ends of the ducts 42 are directed against the ings, interior of the upper of the shoe S at a substan- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a lasted tial distance from both the last bottom and the shoe and a machine suitable for use in carrying top of the last. While the ducts 42 are shown 40 out the improved method; in the illustrated last as all opening against the Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear end of a last interior of the shoe at the same level, it may in shown in Fig. 1; certain cases be advantageous to stagger the Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the last pin openings of the ducts or to provide an additional 45 shown in Fig. 1; set of ducts at a. different level. In addition to 45 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line the ducts 42 there is formed also in the last L IV-IV of Fig. 1; anda pair of ducts 44 which communicate with the Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating interior of the thimble hole and which are dithe use of a machine different from that shown in rected against the interior of the rear portion Fig. 1 but operating in accordance with the imof the shoe bottom. Except for the above de- 50 proved method. scribed ducts the last L is of normal shape and In carrying out the improved method, a last L is adapted to enter into snug engagement with within a shoe S is mounted upon an upstanding the interior of the shoe S. last pin I0. The illustrated last L, as shown in After the lasted shoe has been mounted upon Fig. 1, is of the hinged type, consisting of a. the last pin I0, as shown in Fig. 1, air is admitted 55 into the interior of the shoe by depressing the treadle 34. The air pressure is thus applied in diverging directions against a plurality of localities simultaneously on the interior of the rear end of the shoe upper, the effect of which is to produce momentarily a considerable expansion of the rear end of the shoe and to urge the interior of the rear end of the shoe away from the last L. It is important that the air pressure be admitted simultaneously in order that it may develop its full expanding effect at all of the localities at which this effect is desired before any of the air has an opportunity to escape from between the last and the shoe. Because of the snug t between the last and the shoe, the air will not escape immediately, but will spread out into a thin film between the last and the shoe. This lm not only urges the shoe away from the last but serves also as a lubricant. The operator may then readily lift the rear end portion of the shoe by hand from the last L. In the case of a hinged last,.such as the last L, this operation may conveniently be performed with one hand while the other hand bears down upon the forward portion of the shoe bottom to break the last L. Such breaking of the last tends to tilt the shoel and materially assists in removing the rear portion of the shoe from the last. However, whether a hinged or a block or a one-piece last be employed, the air pressure is effective in facilitating the removal of the rear end of the shoe from the last. 'I'he removal of the rear end of the shoe is assisted by air pressure which is directed against the shoe bottom through the ducts 44. The removal of the forepart of the shoe from the last may readily be accomplished by hand.

Fig. 5 shows how the improved method may be carried out in connection with the use of a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,820,952, granted Sept. l, 1931, upon the application of John M. Whelton and Arthur F. Pym. This machine is provided with a power-driven friction roll 46 carried by a shaft 48 journalled in the upper portion of a frame 50.

p The last pin I is carried-in the upper portion of a lever 52 which replaces the standard I6 of the device shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the lever 52 is fulcrumed upon trunnion pins 54 in such a manner as to enable the rear end of the shoe S to swing toward the roll 46. The swinging of the lever 52 is effected by a treadle 56. The machine illustrated in Fig. as so far described is substantially like that that disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent No. 1,820,952 to which reference may be had for a more detailed disclosure. The last pin I 0 is secured upon the upper end of a tubular rod 58 which is slidably mounted in the lever 52 and which may be raised and lowered for purposes of adjustment by a mechanism comprising a knurled head 60 and which is in all respects similar to the mechanism for adjusting the last pin of the machine disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,820,952, above mentioned. The lower end of the tubular rod 58 is connected by a flexible conduit 62 to the outlet end of a valve 64 mounted upon the lever 52 and having a stern 66 which opens the valve when pressed inwardly. The inlet end of the valve S4 is connected by a flexible conduit 68 to a hand-operated valve 'IIJ which in turn is connected by a pipe l2 to a supply of air under pressure. Mounted upon the frame 50 is an adjustable abutment '14, which, as the lever 52 swings inwardly, is engaged by the valve stem 66 to open the valve. When the lever 52 moves away from the abutment 12 the stem 63 5 is urged outwardly and the valve is closed by a spring with which such valves are ordinarily provided.

In carrying out the method with the use of the machine illustrated in Fig. 5, the last L is first placed upon the last pin ID and the treadle 56 is then depressed, swinging the lever 52 inwardly and bringing the rear end portion of the shoe into engagement with the roll 4E. As the lever 52 swings inwardly the valve 84 is opened and air is admitted into the rear end portion of the shoe, expanding that portion of the shoe in the same manner as has already been described with reference to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. The same inward swinging movement of the lever 52 brings the rear end of the shoe upper into engagement with the roll 46 which is driven in a direction to raise the rear end of the shoe from the last. The operator may at the same time press upon the forepart of the sole of the shoe to break the last. The forepart of the shoe may then be pulled from the forepart of the last.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of separating shoes from lasts which consists in the step of applying pressure in diverging directions simultaneously against a plurality of localities on the interior of the rear portion of a shoe upper to expand the rear portion of the shoe relatively to a last upon which the shoe is mounted, and in applying pressure against the interior of the rear portion of the shoe bottom to separate the rear portion of the shoe from the last.

2. That improvement in methods of separating shoes from lasts which consists in forcing air under pressure in diverging directions simultaneously against a plurality of localities on the interior of the rear portion of a shoe upper to expand the rear portion of the shoe relatively to a last upon which the shoe is mounted, and in forcing air under pressure against the interior of the rear portion of the shoe bottom to separate the rear portion of the shoe from the last.

3. A method of separating a shoe from a last which consists in supporting the last upon a last pin, applying pressure in diverging directions simultaneously against a plurality of localities on the interior of the rear portion of the shoe upper to. expand the rear portion of the shoe, and in applying a frictional force against the exterior of the rear portion of the shoe in a direction to separate the rear portion of the shoe from the last.

4. A method of separating a shoe from a hinged last which consists in mounting the last upon a last pin, applying pressure in diverging directions simultaneously against a plurality of localities on the interior of the rear portion of the shoe upper to expand the rear portion of the shoe, and in 55 applying pressure against the tread surface oi the forward portion of the shoe sole to break the last and thereby to separate the rear portion of the shoe from the last.

JOI-IN B. HADAWAY. 

